Instrument in connection with oral and dental care

Abstract

An instrument for removing by suction saliva, water or other materials generated or used in connection with procedures carried out in the region of the mouth. The instrument includes a substantially tubular, elastic frame arranged for suction, a finger part for attaching the instrument to a finger, and a tip part located, in an axial direction, farther out than the finger part and including a suction inlet. The tip part is arranged to be rotatable around the axial direction of the frame.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An instrument for: (i) sucking saliva or other secretions or objects out of a patient's mouth, nose, throat or lower respiratory tract, and (ii) removing by suction water or other materials generated or used in connection with procedures carried out in the region of the mouth, nose or respiratory tract, the instrument being capable of being disposed on a finger, the instrument comprising:
 a substantially tubular, elastic frame part having a channel arranged therein for a suction flow, the frame part including first members and second members, the first members including: one or more receiving grooves, locking protrusions, locking recesses or threads, and the second members including: one or more locking protrusions, receiving grooves, threads or friction fits; 
 a finger part configured to attach the instrument to the finger, said finger part being configured to receive the finger such that the outermost joint of the finger is between both axial ends of the finger part; and 
 a separate tip part located, in an axial direction, farther out than the finger part and including a suction inlet communicating with the channel, the separate tip part being configured to rotate in relation to the frame part in an end to end contact, the tip part including third members and fourth members, the third members including: one or more grooves, recesses, projections or threads, and the fourth members including: one or more grooves, recesses, projections or threads, wherein: 
 the tip part is configured to be rotated around the axial direction of the frame part, the first members and the third members being configured to co-operate with each other for a rotational adjustment of the tip part such that the tip part is rotationally lockable after predetermined lengths of movements, and 
 the tip part is configured to be longitudinally adjusted, the second members and the fourth members being configured to co-operate with each other for the longitudinal adjustment of the tip part such that the tip part is longitudinally lockable after predetermined lengths of movements, the second and fourth members being located at different distances from the tip along the longitudinal axis for adjustment of the tip part in the longitudinal direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tip part is arranged to be moved into several different rotational positions located at a predetermined angle from one another. 
     
     
       3. The instrument as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the angle is about 90 degrees. 
     
     
       4. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the frame part and the finger part arranged therein are curved in shape. 
     
     
       5. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an axial direction of a tip of the finger part is substantially parallel with an axial direction of the tip part. 
     
     
       6. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the finger part is provided with a cut to divide the finger part into a front part and a rear part. 
     
     
       7. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tip part comprises one or more projections arranged adjacent to the suction inlet for preventing the tip part from adhering to a target surface in a use situation because of the suction flow. 
     
     
       8. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an angle α between a substantially planar surface defined by the suction inlet of the tip part and an axial direction of the frame part is greater than 25 degrees. 
     
     
       9. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the tip part is rounded. 
     
     
       10. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the finger part is generally sheath-like, comprising one or more openings for leaving a distal interphalangeal joint and/or a proximal interphalangeal joint of the finger free. 
     
     
       11. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the grooves, recesses or projections of the first members are disposed on the surface of the frame part in the axial direction of the frame part, 
 the third members are disposed on the surface of the tip part and have a shape corresponding to the grooves, recesses or projections of the tip of the frame part, 
 the grooves, recesses or projections of the second members are disposed on the surface of the frame part in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the frame part, and 
 the fourth members are disposed on the surface of the tip part and have a shape corresponding to that of the grooves, recesses or projections of the tip of the frame part. 
 
     
     
       12. The instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the finger part is located at a curved position of the frame part. 
     
     
       13. A method of producing an instrument arranged for: (i) sucking saliva or other secretions or objects out of a patient's mouth, nose, throat or lower respiratory tract, and (ii) removing by suction water or other materials generated or used in connection with procedures carried out in the region of the mouth, nose or respiratory tract, and the instrument is capable of being disposed on a finger, the method comprising:
 providing a substantially tubular, elastic frame part having a channel arranged therein for a suction flow, the frame part including first members and second members, the first members including: one or more receiving grooves, locking protrusions, locking recesses or threads, and the second members including: one or more locking protrusions, receiving grooves, threads or friction fits; 
 providing a finger part configured to attach the instrument to the finger; 
 providing a separate tip part located, in an axial direction, farther out than the finger part and including a suction inlet communicating with the channel, the separate tip part being configured to rotate in relation to the frame part in an end to end contact, the tip part including third members and fourth members, the third members including: one or more grooves, recesses, projections or threads, and the fourth members including: one or more grooves, recesses, projections or threads; 
 configuring the tip part to be rotatable around the axial direction of the frame part by configuring the first members and the third members to co-operate with each other for a rotational adjustment of the tip part such that the tip part is rotationally lockable after predetermined lengths of movements; and 
 configuring the tip part to be longitudinally adjusted by configuring the second members and the fourth members to co-operate with each other for the longitudinal adjustment of the tip part such that the tip part is longitudinally lockable after predetermined lengths of movements, the second and fourth members being located at different distances from the tip along the longitudinal axis for adjustment of the tip part in the longitudinal direction. 
 
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein:
 the grooves, recesses or projections of the first members are disposed on the surface of the frame part in the axial direction of the frame part, 
 the third members are disposed on the surface of the tip part and have a shape corresponding to the grooves, recesses or projections of the tip of the frame part, 
 the grooves, recesses or projections of the second members are disposed on the surface of the frame part in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the frame part, and 
 the fourth members are disposed on the surface of the tip part and have a shape corresponding to that of the grooves, recesses or projections of the tip of the frame part.